what we are reading – EightandHalf
It’s not every day that a new writer gets to write a film for Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and even manages to deliver a big blockbuster hit. But exactly that’s what happened with Garima and Siddharth. In this video, the writer duo talk about the film RamLeela, their writing process and working with SLB.
Thanks to Bejoy Nambiar, we managed to catch Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Amen at a special screening in Mumbai. If you haven’t seen it yet, do watch it. ‘Great fun’ is the only way to describe this gem. Rarely is ‘fun’ attached with Godly stuff. But this one is a madcap ride, a strange collage of things which rarely come together so well.
Here’s a small recco post on the film by Amit Sharma – on the elements that made Amen such a great joyride.
Why should you watch this Malayalam comedy, err, divine comedy?
To see the beautiful Kerala countryside, a village called Kumaramkary, the backwaters – colourful and idyllic in the day, and dark, lonely, mystical in the night. Eye-gasm in short.
Because it’s all around a Church and a toddy-shop, the former with its brooding, ominous, built-300-years-ago-and-may-fall-down-by-spring air, where the Reverend and sexton hatch their evil plots, and the latter with its regular haunt of drunk band-members asking for more pork and beef, and lamenting over their failures in music competitions. A strange mix.
For the totally over-the-top unapologetic humour, crafted as if the writers had no other concern in the world. Even the overlay text says things like ‘long ago in some random year xyz’. The wacky humour never leaves us, even zigzagging through the love story between the spunky Sosanna (Swathi Reddy) and the meek and unsure-of-himself Solomon (Fahadh Faasil). Girl bashing up goons with vessels, Solomon’s father’s spirit making sudden appearances in smoke-filled rooms complete with two winged angels, there’s no full stop in this crazy ride.
For the antics of the sexton Ousepp, and the menacing Reverend Father Ottapplakkan.
For Sosanna, who looks beautiful & enticing, and the scenes where Solomon serenades her with his clarinet below her window is stuff right out of Romeo & Juliet.
For Prashant Pillai’s fantastic music: the peppy title track, the mellifluous love song, the energetic clarinet duels, and the background score, all of it adding that much more to the film.
Because the film is also about a unique village band, which is on its way down after the tragic death of its star performer, and has lost all competitions ever since. You haven’t seen such a desi band story on screen.
Add to all this a music-loving young junior rockstar Reverend Vattolli, played by Indrajith, who decides to support all that is good, and oppose all that is bad in the village, and brings the band back to its glory by helping Solomon conquer his inner fears, and Bombay’s very own Makarand Deshpande, playing Chevalier Pothachan (don’t miss his hilarious entry) as the opponent in the final contest, and you’ve got an entertainer which is long, but doesn’t seem to be, and manages to make you laugh, and connects you with its emotions and music all the same.
In terms of the basic story idea and elements, there’s surely some similarity between Amen and Guca!, but the local flavours are so distinct that it completely stands out on its own.
Do watch.
Sundance Film Festival has unveiled its line-up for the next edition. Geetu Mohandas’ debut feature Liar’s Dice has been selected for the festival to premiere in “World Cinema Dramatic Competition” section.
Here’s the note on the film from the official release – “Liar’s Dice” (India) — Directed and written by Geetu Mohandas. The story of a young woman who leaves her native land with her daughter to search for her missing husband, encountering a free-spirited army deserter along the way. Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Geetanjali Thapa, Manya Gupta. International premiere.
The film has been shot by Rajeev Ravi.
And this was our snippet review from Mumbai Film Festival daily report when it screened – Liar’s Dice – Set in difficult weather and tough terrain, Kamala (Geentajali Thapa) is looking for her missing husband. From moutains to plains, from Delhi to a single-bed room in a shady hotel, her companion is a selfish and untrustworthy stranger Nawazuddin (Siddiqui). A stark, grim and almost unsentimental portrayal of urban migration. Has a charming kid too. Looking forward to Geetu Mohandas’s next.
– To read about the complete Sundance list, click here.
– To read an interview of Geetu Mohandas on the film, click here.
– The film’s FB page is here.
WHAT : NFDC LABS – 2 week, fully residential workshop challenges and empowers directors to enhance, fine tune and balance these complexities.
– Working with actors and script is at the core of this programme and each participant will workshop and develop his/her approach to scenes using scripts provided but also work-shopping scenes from their own upcoming films.
MENTOR : The full time two week programme lead by London based director Udayan Prasad (My Son the Fanatic, The Yellow Handkerchief) and professor of Directing at the UK’s NFTVS -National Film and Television School, and LFS-London Film School among others.
PROGRAMME :
– The workshop is designed and will be lead by Udayan Prasad and he will be joined by top professionals* from the industry who will share world class knowledge of their particular discipline.
– Accomplished and acclaimed actors* will add their talent and craft to the scenes which will be work-shopped throughout the programme, and share their personal feedback and experience with the participating directors.
ELIGIBILITY (Profile of Directors) : This lab is for working film directors with experience and/or training in the field.
APPLICANTS : should be currently preparing to shoot a feature or short film script which is moving towards production, and be prepared to workshop scenes from their script within the lab.
WORKSHOP DATES : January 19th to 31st 2014
PARTICIPANTS : Strictly limited to 12, by application and selection.
LOCATION : The ‘Directing for Directors’ lab will be held within a hotel/resort style setting within driving distance of Mumbai, but outside the city to allow a full creative retreat experience to unfold.
APPLICATION FFE : Rs 500
FULL LAB FEE (on selection): Rs 1,50,000
– Food & accommodation is included in the fee.
* additional experts and actors will be announced in 1st week January.
– To know more about the lab and to apply, click here.
“Gangs Of Wasseypur – The Making Of A Modern Classic” by Jigna Kothari and Supriya Madangarli is finally out. Interestingly, the book also has the screenplay of both the parts of the film. Jigna tells us more about the book, and scroll down to read an excerpt from it. And if you find it interesting, have also given links below it from where you can order it online.
The book captures director Anurag Kashyap’s organised chaos during the making of this darkly comic tale of alley gangsters and their absurdities and idiosyncrasies. As the film traverses a fine path between myths and memories, fact and fiction, the book delineates these elements and introduces the men and women who inspired their celluloid counterparts.
It also shares the director’s exploration of his roots while making the film, and looks at the components of the director and crew’s vision of the design, soundtrack and songs, and most importantly, the locations that give the film its sense of time, and at times, irony. The final pieces of the puzzle are blended in drawing upon narratives and anecdotes from crew and cast of the film.
Beginning with Anurag Kashyap’s foreword, and ending with the screenplay of GOW Part I and II, the book is divided into seven chapters and has some on location pictures as well. The seven chapters are as follows –
(On location pic from the book)
Excerpt from the book
– You can order the book from Flipkart (click here) which is giving 25% discount (Rs 299) or from Infibeam (click here) which is giving 27% (Rs 291) discount. The book is priced at Rs 399.
– Early buzz on Kanu Behl’s Titli : Titli is the most stunning, daring, solid Indian film i have seen this year. Nothing like Indian cinema has seen ever…not a single wrong frame. Too depressing and suffocating at times…but man, this MUST go international. Animal kingdom ka baap hai! And all actors just at their career best roles. (via a friend who saw it). Titli is produced by Dibakar Banerjee and Aditya Chopra. To know more about the film, click here.
– Kanu Behl’s Titli also won the DI Award for the Best Work-in-Progress Lab Project. The DI Award sponsors the completion of the Digital Intermediate process at Prasad Labs.
– New York-based BGP Film has picked up the North American rights of Gyan Correa’s film The Good Road.
– Abhay Deol will star in the UK-set thriller, Bounty Hunter, to be directed by brothers Sunandan and Yugesh Walia. They will also co-produce the film rough their UK-based production company Endboard Productions.
– Q to make English-language debut with Brahman Naman, to be produced by Steve Barron’s UK-based Riley Productions. Set in Bangalore in the 1980s, the film is a comedy about a 17-year-old who tops his class but also has whisky addiction, filthy mouth and a porn collection. Q’s Kolkata-based production company Overdose Joint will co-produce.
– France’s ASAP Films to produce Rajesh Jala’s The Spark (Chingari). It was selected for NFDC Screenwriters’ Lab and Co-production Market. The script also won the Incredible India award at Film Bazaar. The Award comes with a cash price of Rs. 1 mn for the best project in the Co-Production Market and is presented by the Ministry of Tourism.
– Ashim Ahluwalia’s film Miss Lovely is set to release in India in January 2014. This will be done through the start-up theatrical distributor Easel Films and Eagle Movies.
– Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment has announced two new films – Amit Kumar’s Give Me Blood and Vasan Bala’s Side Hero.
– Nikhil Mahajan (of Pune 52) has announced his new film Dainik which will star Rajkummar Rao (Yes, RajKumar Yadav is now Rao). DAR Motion Pictures, IME Motion Pictures and Nikhil Mahajan’s Blue Drop Films will co-produce Marathi action adventure Baji, starring Shreyas Talpade.
– Varun Grover’s film Maa Bhagwatiya IIT Coaching will be produced by Nikhil Mahajan. The script was selected for Screenwriters Lab.
– DAR Motion Pictures, IME Motion Pictures will co-produce Nikhil Mahajan’s Marathi Superhero film Baji starring Shreyas Talpade.
– After Qissa, filmmaker Anup Singh is working on adapting UK author Paul Pickering’s novel Over The Rainbow. The film will be produced by Switzerland-based Saskia Vischer Productions.
– Channel 4 has picked up four titles – The Good Road, Sulemani Keeda, Fandry and B.A. Pass.
(Via various News sources)
Kamal Swaroop’s Om-Dar-Ba-Dar can be called a cult film in its truest sense. And that too underground one. Because most people have heard about it but have not seen it. Finally, here’s the good news. The film has been digitally restored and PVR Directors Rare is going to release it on 17th January, 2014. So all of you who have so far only heard about it, here’s the chance to watch it on big screen. The film stars Anita Kanwar, Aditya Lakhia, Lalit Tiwari, and Gopi Desai.
The restored print was screened recently at Rome Film Festival. An avant-garde work, this is much more than a film. It’s like an installation collage art which uses various elements – from history to mythology, and politics to philosophy, to create a fascinating new world on screen. And he made brass band cool much before Anurag re-discovered it in Dev D.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today announced that 10 live action short films will advance in the voting process for the 86th Academy Awards. 120 films had qualified in the category.
And Shubhashish Bhutiani’s short film Kush is in the shortlist.
Synopsis
Inspired by a true story, Kush takes place in 1984, surrounding Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination. Anti-Sikh riots erupt throughout the country. A teacher traveling back from a field trip with her class of 10-year-old students now struggles to protect Kush, the only Sikh student in the class, from the growing violence around him.
Trailer
– Film’s FB page is here.
– To know more about the filmmaker and its making, you can read the director’s interview here.
– The Short Films and Feature Animation Branch Reviewing Committee viewed all the eligible entries for the preliminary round of voting. Now the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch members will select 3-5 nominees from among the 10 titles on the shortlist.
– The 86th Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 16, 2014.
– Here’s the complete list of Top 10 shortlisted film (in alphabetical order)
– “Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn’t Me),” Esteban Crespo, director (Producciones Africanauan)
– “Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just before Losing Everything),” Xavier Legrand, director, and Alexandre Gavras, producer (KG Productions)
– “Dva (Two),” Mickey Nedimovic, director, and Henner Besuch, director of photography (Filoufilm Dani Barsch)
– “Helium,” Anders Walter, director, and Kim Magnusson, producer (M & M Productions)
– “Kush,” Shubhashish Bhutiani, director (Red Carpet Moving Pictures)
– “Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?),” Selma Vilhunen, director, and Kirsikka Saari, screenwriter (Tuffi Films)
– “Record/Play,” Jesse Atlas, director, and Thom Fennessey, executive producer (Collaboration Factory)
– “Throat Song,” Miranda de Pencier, director (Northwood Productions)
– “Tiger Boy,” Gabriele Mainetti, director (Goon Films)
– “The Voorman Problem,” Mark Gill, director, and Baldwin Li, producer (Honlodge Productions)
Festival: 18th International Children’s Film Festival India popularly known as The Golden Elephant.
Place: Hyderabad
Dates: November 14th to November 20th, 2013.
Opening and Closing venue: Lalitha Kala Thoranam
Opening Film: CFSI’s musical animation, Goopi Gawaiyya Bagha Bajaiyya.
Closing Film: Winner of Golden Elephant Trophy at 18th ICFFI.
Chief Guests at the opening ceremony: Ranbir Kapoor and Gulzar
Highlights:
– Total number of 894 films were received from 75 countries.
– 200 films from 45 countries are being screened at the 18th ICFFI.
– DCP format for screenings introduced for the first time.
– Film entrees were received online for the first time.
– ‘International Animation Feature’ introduced this year in the competition category.
– For the first time ICFFI films were sourced from Cannes Film Market, allowing ICFFI to pick a selection of the latest children’s films, awaiting their World/ Asian Premiers.
– For the first time ICFFI has received 26 films from South America, a region barely represented in the previous editions.
– For the first time ICFFI has received a formidable quantity of animation films from across the globe: 285 animation films.
– No. of entries for Little Directors Section (films made by children from India and around the world): 123.
Four Competitive Sections:
1) Competition International Live Action (15 features)
2) International Animation Competition (10 features) *
3) Competition Shorts (15 shorts)
4) Competition Little Directors (12 shorts)
* Competition Animation has been introduced for the first time keeping in mind the large no. of excellent animation features received by the festival.
Three Non-competitive Sections:
1) Children’s World (121 films approx.) will present award winning international and national films from the last decade.
2) In Focus: Czech Republic (12 films) will present the best of Czech Children’s Films, including live action and animated features and shorts. This section is made possible by collaborating with Zlin Film Festival, the oldest children’s film festival in the world.
3) Celebrating 100 years of cinema.
Awards:
First Prize: A Golden Elephant trophy plus cash prize of 2 lakh,
Second prize: A Golden Elephant plaque second prize 1 lakh
Top 15 Films at ICFFI:
1. A Horse on the Balcony (Live Action Feature, Austria)
2. Mother I love You (Live Action Feature, Latvia)
3. Kauwboy (Live action Feature, Netherlands)
4. Alfie the Little Werewolf (Live Action Feature, Netherlands)
5. Taina – an Amazon Legend (Live Action Feature, Brazil)
6. Zarafa (Animation Feature, Belgium-France)
7. Moon Man (Animation Feature, France)
8. Rodencia – The Princesse’s tooth (Animation Feature, Argentina-Peru)
9. Goopi Gawaiyya Bagha Bajaiyya (Animation Feature, India)
10. Toys in the Attic (Animation Feature, Czech Republic)
11. The Girl from Gori (Live Action Short, Georgia-Germany)
12. Under The Pillow (Animation Short, Spain)
13. My shoes (Live Action Short, Tunisia)
14. Buzkashi Boys (Live Action Short, Afghanistan)
15. The Centipede and the Toad (Animation short, France)
Registrations: Registrations will be held at FDC. There will be no online registrations.
Screenings: 3 screens at IMAX Prasad Multiplex, one screen each at Ranga, Eswar, High Tech, Sri Ramulu, Shivani, Sudha, Raghvendra, Lalitha kala Thoranam, Public Garden, Indira Priya Darshini audi, Telugu University Audi Auditorium, Hall in Victoria Memorial Home.
Venue: Main Venue: IMAX Prasad.
Venue for November 15, 2013 to November 19, 2013:
A new bengali film titled Apur Panchali tries to explore that. The trailer and poster is just out, and it looks interesting. Have a look. Though the trailer doesn’t have subtitles yet.
The film is directed by Kaushik Ganguly, and stars Parambrata Chatterjee, Parno Mitra, Ardhendu Banerjee, Gaurav Chakraborty & Ritwik Chakraborty.
Some more info on the film (from TOI article) – Talking about Apur Panchali, Kaushik said, “The film is inspired by the real-life story of Subir Banerjee, the child actor, who played Apu in Ray’s Pather Panchali. Despite being one of the most celebrated child actors in the industry once, nobody cares to find out what he is doing now; no one remembers him. My film is a take on that. The USP of the film is the subject which has never been explored in Bengali cinema before. Interestingly, Subir’s life has an uncanny resemblance to what Ray had depicted in The Apu Trilogy. And that’s what inspired me to make this film. Albeit Pather Panchali was Subirda‘s first and last film, but if you study the man’s life, you’d sit and ponder if Satyajit Ray had written The Apu Trilogy keeping Subirda in mind. Having said that, I’d like to make it clear that my film is a work of fiction, and not Subir Banerjee’s biography.”
– To read the full article, click here.
– More about the film here.
F.i.g.h.t C.l.u.b 